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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bark · pass · squash · stand · branch · cue · arm · cabinet

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. cue — for pool
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stand — to bear
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cue — a signal
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bark — to shout
  13. cue — a hint
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. squash — the sport
  20. squash — to crush
  21. pass — a permit
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bark — a dog's sound

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com